Where can I find info on desk design?

I googled myself to death trying to find web pages about people
designing and building their own desks and I just can't find anything
other than basic plans.
I'm a computer geek and I'll admit it but I'm not shy around power
tools. I read all the time about people doing all sorts of wierd
things to customize how their computer look but what I dream about is
the perfect desk if there is such a thing.
Sure I could slap something together but I want. I have no trouble
finding simple plans or just outright designing it from scratch; it's
just a desk. But if I did that no sooner would I complete it than I
will have changed my mind or figured out how something could be
better. There has to be some acumulated knowedge about the art of
desk design. I just don't know how or where to find it.
I also wouldn't want to limit myself to wood though that the most
obvious and cheepest material. I want the theory behind desk design
rather than just plans for how to build one. Also it going to be a
computer desk.
One of the reasons motivating me is that I am a larger than average
man and ready made computer desks seem to be designed for short
people. They just seem to all be the same basic dozen desk designes
modified for a computer as an afterthought. For instance things like
a keyboard drawer make a desk even shorter but the desks don't get any
taller.
The things I want to know is are there any desk designs with
adjustable height? What should be placed where and why. Do I need to
understand the materials and how much weight it can bear or keeping
it's mass balenced? What about other maters such as glass or
aluminum? Can/should I design with those locking anchor system ready
made desk use or should I go with screws and glue? What about taking
the desk apart later? Any other stuff I would need to know in case I
wanted a really radical design? How about just general unusual ideas
of those that have come before me.
It's amazing how hard it is to find what your looking for when you
don't know enough to explain it. Especially when it comes to the
special vocabulary to use to find relevent stuff in a web seach
engine.

This is an interesting post. I would also like any info anyone might know
about on finding a source for a mechanical device to lower and raise a
flat-screen monitor into/out of a desk top. I've also done google searches
to death and have found virtually nothing.
Mike

--
There are no stupid questions.
There are a LOT of inquisitive idiots.

Yesterday (11/24/03), one of the cable channels, don't know if it was HGTV
or DIY, did a show on "Enabling" a kitchen (musta been in CA, eh?), for a
doctor who was confined to a wheelchair.
I mention it only as it may be that with this little bit of information as a
clue, you could find more about it on the web. It was definitely one of the
"design shows" and ALL the cabinets, sink, and even the stove, were on
devices to raise or lower them.
Good luck ...

Mike what you want is a TV lift and there are maybe 3 companies that make
them,
I can look them up write me later and I'll find them for you.
And Blue you answered all your own questions,
First what my be perfect for you is a mess for someone else
The first lesson of any design is simple " FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION "
You first start as you said you are a big man so a 30" desk top won't hack
it for you What will, hell only you know so stack up some orange crates or
whatever and then take a measurement
The same goes for any aspect of your desk, where would you like the CPU, The
Printer, what other goodies do have wired into that bad boy.
Position everything the way you want it stack stuff on books if you have to
wants you have everything the way you want it start measuring,
From there you have the function, now start on the form always keep in mind
that for every change or problem you solve you may be causing 6 other well
okay 3 other disasters.
After that then decide on where you want a moulding a post or whatever.
In a nut shell shut down that computer mind and use good old common sense.
Good Luck,
George

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There is hardware for raising and lowering a sewing machine available
from several suppliers. Maybe that would work?
Mike in Mystic wrote:

<pre wrap="">This is an interesting post. I would also like any info anyone
might know
about on finding a source for a mechanical device to lower and raise a
flat-screen monitor into/out of a desk top. I've also done google searches
to death and have found virtually nothing.
Mike

--
There are no stupid questions.
There are a LOT of inquisitive idiots.

First, no matter what you do your going to think you could have done
something different or better.
The suggestion about getting crates, books, planks, and setting up a
temporary station. I got a used piece of junk computer desk set and took
the SawZall after it. Cut off the parts that didn't belong.
Most people seem to have their monitors in a corner facing the corner or
wall. Been there, can't do it. I'm not claustrophobic. Quite the
opposite. I don't need control of the room but I do need to be able to
see it. This simple thing, not sitting in a corner and my not being
comfortable not being able to see the room I'm sitting in, determines
there can't be anything above desk top level except the monitor.
Not to say I put much truck in Fung-Shway (?) but it does seem to have a
few valid points.
Then there's the room it's going to be in. Our idiot box is in the
living room with the other idiot box.

Blue:
I had searched for months trying to find a desk for my office at home. Since
I work for home I wanted a nice quality desk with out breaking the bank. I
could not find a desk after months of searching.
What I did was to draw up plan that was to be a basic L shaped desk that
was custom sized for my office. My office is s small room off our MBR that
is directly above the entrance foyer to our home.
I had the dimenions drawn out and I went to a local counter/cabinet maker.
I chose a Wilsonart woodgrained laminate
(http://www.wilsonart.com/laminate/consumer/products/viewitem.asp?idproduct144&idCategoryA ) in cherry finish.
The shop made the top and sides to my spec's. I also ordered some HON Black
3 drawer mobile pedestal from staples.com. This picture gives a similar view
of what I did.http://www.hon.com/product/ProductSpec.do?prsPk
I really have been happy with the outcome. It cost be about $350-400 for the
desk and $130 for the cabinets. I also bore out some holes and inserted my
own cable grommets. I attached the sides to the top with some heavy duty 'L"
brackets. Because it is up against a wall I also picked up some Big heavy
Duty shelf brackets to support the desk top that is up against the wall.
The Mobile bases proved very useful because the desk can be rearranged and I
purposely had my desk at 30 inches high and the mobile is 26". This leaves
me 4" of space which is where I keep my computers. This keeps the clutter
off the desk and is still readily available.
i hope this helps.
rich

Have you seen Riley's site:
http://www.charm.net/~jriley/woodware.html
Lots of info on ergonomics, might be some other stuff you would find
interesting/useful.
Luigi
Replace "no" with "yk" for real email address

Blue,
I haven't actually plugged in the key words to a search engine, but I think
terms like ergonomics, human factors, computer work station, and work
station design might be useful to you. There is a lot of information on the
type of thing you are looking for, but you wont find it in the "design"
community. You will find it in the area of human factors and ergonomics.
Another term that comes to mind is anthropometrics (body measurements).
However, you are interested in designing for you alone so the normal
anthropometric dada may not be applicable. Instead, you will want to know
how to make anthropometric measurements on yourself rather than see
compilations of data for various populations. As another poster mentioned,
you can get some basic height and width measurements from your own body to
find appropriate heights etc, but you will want to take into consideration
many other things like prevention of carpal tunnel, back stress etc. That
means you must balance the distance you need from the floor to the bottom of
the desk with the work surface height in order to keep your wrists straight
while you type or operate a mouse. Additionally, you should think about the
chair. It is an integral part of the workstation, and it's height depends
on your body and the operations you are performing. There is a lot to think
about if you want this thing to be "perfect" for you and your body
dimensions. I hope some of those key words work for you.
Brian
P.S. There are ergonomic office supply outfits that sell fully adjustable
workstations for many applications. They are intended to be as adjustable
as possible, but I doubt they would be "perfect" for anyone.

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